In this session, Adam discusses the use of Easy Digital Downloads, a free plugin for creating a digital download eCommerce store in WordPress. Session attendees learn the basics of setting up an eCommerce store and Adam addresses how the phrase “digital downloads” doesn’t just refer to plugins, themes and other software.
Adam also reviews a list of free and paid Add-Ons for EDD that enhance the end user experience, marketing process, and ultimately website revenue. He also talks about several third party tools and services that make managing and growing a digital download business easier and more rewarding.
Whether audience members are bloggers, designers, teachers or hardcore developers, they will walk out of this session knowing they can offer digital content that others want and need.
Creating a Digital Download Business - What to sell, how to sell it, and shortcuts to success
1. @ S I T E L O C K@ S I T E L O C K
Creating a Digital
Download Business
What to sell, how to sell it and
shortcuts to success
W o r d C a m p N e w O r l e a n s 2 0 1 6
2. @ S I T E L O C K
Adam W. Warner
• Product Evangelist at SiteLock
• Co-Founder at FooPlugins
• Discovered WordPress in 2005
• WordPress Community Addict
• Fan of Fractals
• Lover of Meatballs
• Proud Dad!
3. @ S I T E L O C K
What We’ll Cover Today
• What to sell
• How to sell it
• How to succeed
41. @ S I T E L O C K
Pre-Built
• Platform-specific themes
• Page builders for any theme
42. @ S I T E L O C K
Descriptions for Real People
43. @ S I T E L O C K
Benefits Before Features
• Features = facts
• Benefits = end result for user
• “This book has 64 pages.”
• “After reading this book, you’ll be able to create
your own knitted Wapuu.”
55. @ S I T E L O C K
Most Important!
• A bias for action
56. @ S I T E L O C K
Thank You
• Follow at:
• @SiteLock
• @wpmodder
• SlideShare
• http://www.slideshare.net/wpprobusiness
• My Blog Posts:
• http://wpdistrict.sitelock.com
• http://adamwwarner.com
Editor's Notes
WP Evangelist means that I attend WordCamps and other events and listen to the community.
What:
Obvious products
Not-so-obvious products
How:
Tips for creation
What platform(s) to use
How:
Marketing
How to launch
Marketing funnels / followup
Continued engagement
Find “the more you know”
Or all I know is that I know nothing at all
Or similar gif
(display logos one at a time?) or one image of all of them
One of easiest to create
Especially from existing content (blog posts)
Multiple platforms (PDF t local computer, Fivver, iBooks, amazon kindle, Blurb (sell and create), Lulu, Nook press, Google Play
Large subject
You know things I don’t
Even if I do know, you have a unique perspective I don’t
X Best Practices for [Insert Industry/Topic]
An Introduction to [Insert Industry/Topic]
X Common Questions About [Insert Industry/Topic] Answered
X [Insert Industry/Topic] Statistics For Better Decision Making
Learn From The Best: X [Insert Industry/Topic] Experts Share Insights
Ebook creation services.
Ebook covers – Photoshop templates, but prefer Canva to do this
Use images
Graphs
Charts
What is it?
gathering information relevant to a particular topic or area of interest. Services or people that implement content curation are calledcurators. Curation services can be used by businesses as well as end users.
Blog Posts
from one or more categories
If a reference guides
Curate content from other sources.
Summary + Image + Link (good place for affiliate links too, which I will get to)
Music:
Original, mixes, loops
Audiobooks:
Repurpose ebook by reading It. (good practice for voiceover work)
Brilliance audio
Podcasts:
Download or member access
Ringtones:
Allowed in iTunes
Audacity - Open source
Zencastr - Free while in beta
Screencast software auido-only export (accompany with screenshots)
Art: Original artwork, memes, inspirational posters
Day planners:
Clothing patterns:
Doll clothing patterns
https://www.shopify.ca/blog/17587420-how-one-couple-is-making-600-000-per-year-selling-digital-products
Printables
http://www.thesitsgirls.com/make-money/creating-selling-printables/
Have a plan
Doesn't have to be a full business plan
even just an outline
NOT IN YOUR HEAD.
Post on desk, monitor, forehead, calendar, etc.
Domain name and host
Yes, obvious I know. I wasn’t going to include this but just wanted to say a couple things.
Your host matters.
If you can, don’t go cheap.
See any of the people from the hosting companies here today. All good.
Security company, but if not, still #2 on my list
Someone is always trying to slip through!
Hosts do a great job, but security is a big subject
Vulnerabilities at user network level
Software application level (WordPress) can still be an issue
This is YOUR revenue stream and needs protection
Anyone guess what that stands for? Hint: I just made it up.
WordPress core
Plugins
Themes
WHAT - Secure Sockets Layer
encrypts communications between the user and the web server. It helps to prevent hacker attacks that are based on eavesdropping.
Is the web site really secure with SSL?
No. SSL secures the network communication link only. However, risk to individual users may be significant
Eavesdroppers can see what is typed into forms on non-SSL sites
Most obvious risk is login form, which asks for username and password.
Eavesdropper can potentially obtain these login credentials and then log in as that user.
Users will re-use passwords on many websites. None of you do that right?
HOW
Purchase from Host
Purchase separately
Use Let’s Encrypt SSL are free (SiteGround host makes this simple)
Anti-virus – on your computer. (Kapersky, McAfee, Norton)
VPN – on your computer (or even mobile device). Virtual Private Network (public wifi) (
Plugins – search the plugin repository, you’ll find many options. Inspect settings, file changes, and more
Scanners – scans the actual files that live on your hosting account. Checks for known malware and suspicious code
WAF – Web Application Firewalls – detects and routes real visitors from bots.
Ever visited a site with no way to contact them? I have. It simply doesn’t work.
10 fold for ecommerce.
Pre-sales
Contact form
Phone
Email
Forums
SOMETHING
Pre-sales
Blog subscription
Notify me when…
Blog
Maybe they don’t trust you yet. Allow them to follow your content for proof of your knowledge.
Checkout
Transactional emails – email required for checkout to receive receipts, user accounts, etc. (agree to terms of use)
Transactional recipients are only eligible to receive transactional email, like Abandoned Cart workflows, and can't be sent marketing campaigns.
Give option to receive optional (separate) newsletter. (marketing) MUST OPT IN
Both require “terms” explaining the email communication they will receive.
3 options
Not interested in using WordPress? Boo!!! Let’s skip this!
Just kidding
Can be less hassle and administration
Marketplaces – they take a percentage of your earnings
You get more exposure, faster
Might be a good way to get started for some people
Envato
Mojo
Themes
Plugins
Video
Audio
Graphics
Stock photos
3D animations
Primarily themes and plugins
Platform provided, but more product and sales information required.
Shopify – 14 day trial, then paid monthly
Ruby on Rails and PHP
Data lives on their servers
Offers WordPress plugin so you can put products on WP site
BigCommerce
Must have own WP site
Create page in Bigcommerce
Point with DNS changes in domain settings
No plugin
Volusion
Volusion is a hosted solution, and that means that all your files will be sitting on their servers. On the other hand, your WordPress site will be sitting on your own server space that you have bought from your web host.
The upshot: your Volusion store and your WordPress site cannot live on the same domain. Instead, they will have to be hosted on different sub-domains.
Everything done by you!
Domain, hosting, configure WP
Configure theme
Install and configure plugins
Yay! Benefits
Control your data!
Streamline
Only use what you NEED
Simple PayPal buttons
PayPal shopping carts
519 results on plugin repository!
Forms with PayPal integration
Made for physical sales (also has digital download addons)
Many other addons
Themes
Acquired by Automattic (company formed by WordPress co-founder, Matt Mullenweg
Also known as EDD
Made for digital sales (also has shipping addon)
Many addons
Themes
What we use at FooPlugins
The one big secret…There are no valid shortcuts!
Shortcuts usually look like this (cat)
Not shortcuts, but STREAMLINE REQUIRED ITEMS rather than NICE-TO-HAVES
Or nice to haves
This is where I used to get stuck.
Hours in my office tweaking css and other things
Tell me wife…meh
KISS method
Prebuilt theme or page builder with templates
Minimal – NOT LIKE LING!
Focus on products, not fanciness (hovering buttons, animations, etc.)
The LIFE BLOOD of your digital download business
This is where users make the decision to buy or leave
There are essential elements to include in product pages that will help you succeed.
ADD IMAGES HEREhttps://vwo.com/blog/ecommerce-product-page-best-practices/
Not a designer? Use a page builder.
Templates or page builder or both
Themes for WooCommerce and EDD
Page builders
Beaver builder
Description for real people. Not just boring facts (this does this, these are the dimensions, this is cost)
Tell a story at every chance.
Evoke emotion.
Make a connection.
Benefits vs Features
Features are defined as surface statements about your product, such as what it can do, its dimensions and specs and so on.
Benefits, by definition, show the end result of what a product can actually accomplish for the reader.
- The gas mileage on a car is a feature; the amount of money you can save on gas is a benefit.
- Pockets on the front of a sweater is a feature; having a place for your keys and keeping your hands warm in the winter are both benefits.
- Home delivery is a feature; not having to interrupt your schedule to go to the store is a benefit.
Why should I care?
TRICK – after listing a feature of your product, ask yourself. SO WHAT? The answer will be your benefit.
This is how this product will:
Make your life easier
Make your job easier
Help you achieve that goal faster
Stock imagery
Product images – DIY lots f tutorials, hire someone on Fivver
Hire a designer
Images
(animated GIFs)
Product Demos on page if possible (images or videos)
Usage video, tutorials (can show benefits of ease of use at same time)
Trust badges
Simple yet effective
Reviews/Testimonials
Images – fields of dreams (build it and they won’t come), pre launch landing page optin, community
May sound obvious, but learned from trial and error
You care more about business/product than users
Others don’t because they don’t know
Create buzz before
Landing page, buy ads
Build list/anticipation
Launch in existing community
List
Subscriptions for everything (prelaunch, blog articles, specific categories, partnership/affiliate interest, etc.)
Subscriptions everywhere (moneylab)
Follow up series for everything
Value
5-7 emails before asking
Something of value in each email (ebook, case study, tutorial, resources)
Authenticity
Don’t be “this guy”
Building your business? Talk about it. The struggles and successes.
Get personal (talk about my email about Ziggy seizure and the response from customers)
BUT DON”T WHINE
Progress bars
Cross sells
Upsells
Edit order
#1 is capturing the email and detecting the abandonment, then email series
Ask if anyone isn’t familiar (show of hands)
Have one?
YES or NO – doesn’t follow the KISS method, but can help boost sales and traffic (blogger reviews, reccos and others email campaigns)
Creates loyalty with subset of people
They can provide valuable feedback
Become affiliate yourself
Complimentary services
Example: FooPlugins –
Gravity forms, NextGEN, other galleries, themes
Get listed on their reccomendations pages
What is Content Marketing?
Blogging
approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action
Plans
Tell a story
Schedule this! Google Calendar is your friend
Outline some Draft posts even if you don’t have the content
Pro Tips
Content curation – resource or list posts
Repurposed Content – audio, video (wpdistrict community posts example – YouTube, Blog posts, transcriptions, shared on FB and Twitter
Customers create content for you (guest post submissions, case studies)
Same as content marketing
Plan, schedule, repurpose
Tools
Hootsuite, buffer, CoSchedule
START NOW
Amazon core value I learned
Don’t wait until everything is “perfect” because it never will be.
Continually iterate - Analytics
Growth is organic, trial and error
SiteLock – security news/tips, WordPress community interviews
Wpmodder – Mostly WordPress, direct replies